By Dave Young

48 adult racers and 7 juniors, certainly no sign of the current credit crunch to be seen at the first round of this years Challenge round at the ever-popular Pinewood Raceway.

With rule changes coming into force regarding tyres it was interesting to see Saturdays times and grip going down and up respectively throughout the day, with under 7 seconds being the benchmark for a handful of the more experienced SIC racers. Come throwing out time it was fascinating to observe the home team Pinewood guys dropping well under 7 seconds, a few of the stragglers leaving the raceway could be seen with heads in hands wondering where they could eek the few extra tenths needed from to make them competitive.

Following the traditional Saturday meal, Sunday emerged as a bright and Sunny Spring day, and with racing on everyones mind Scrutineering was open early, no doubt everyone wanting to make Nick and Pauls job as simple as possible to help to prove to them that the Slot.It marking was on their tyres as required. With 55 racers to get sorted it was going to be a long day and organisation needed to be spot on. As is always the case, the Pinewood guys did a super professional job and the day flowed very easily and simply with no major incidents at all.

The racing was as always, fast and competitive, with a good majority of the field using the new Flat 6 or Flat 6R motor. Is this to be the new benchmark motor in the series? Grip from the Slot It tyres seemed to hold up for all but the very top groups who perhaps struggled very slightly for the outright grip they have been used to in the past, however a ‘new kid’ on the block emerged right from the off. Mark Rosten Edwards, quoted as the fastest man never to have done a SIC round, went about his business and finished the day top qualifier by almost 2 laps in front of Paul Charlton who drove faultlessly throughout the day, followed into third by Simon Scott. Cometh the hour cometh the man they say and Mark did not falter taking the A final from Paul Charlton with Shaun Mitchell coming in third and taking top visiting driver honours, the A final was completed by Simon Scott in 4th, James Hunt in 5th and Nick Hirst 6th.

Of the Juniors, Toby Pawson led the day with a blistering drive that would have put him into the Seniors A final, followed home by another home driver William Rudge, and in 3rd was Wolves driver Lewis Gough.

And so, the 2009 season is up and running. As is always the way with the series both friendships and competitive rivalries are re-introduced, old experienced racers mingling with complete new racers to the series freely offering help and advice. This is what the SIC is all about, roll on April 18/19 and round two at North Staffs!